More travelers than ever are experimenting with AI and trip planning when researching their next trip. With a simple prompt, artificial intelligence can generate a full itinerary in seconds. But while AI is impressive, it doesn’t always get the real-world details right. As a travel advisor, I thought it would be helpful to share where AI can be a great too, and where a little human expertise still makes all the difference. Let’s dive in!
AI and Trip Planning: Impressive, but Not Perfect
AI is incredibly impressive.
It can draft emails, summarize articles, translate menus, and in seconds generate a ten-day itinerary for almost anywhere in the world. It even generated my picture below with a simple prompt to create a caricature of me based on what it knows I do!
Recently, I read an AFAR article about the most common mistakes AI makes when planning travel. Researchers from George Washington University found that AI-generated travel plans are completely error-free only about 10 percent of the time.
10 percent!
Do you want to trust your flights, hotels, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences to a 10 percent chance of accuracy?
The Biggest Challenge with AI and Trip Planning
So what’s the biggest issue with AI and trip planning?
AI pulls from enormous amounts of information, but it cannot consistently tell what is current, what is realistic, or what actually works in real life. It is really good at sounding confident. Accuracy is another story.
With that in mind, here are a few of the most common issues I see regularly.
Common Problems with AI and Trip Planning
Geography and Logistics Don’t Always Add Up
AI might group sights together that are hours apart or suggest routes that look good on paper but don’t work in real life. It rarely thinks about traffic patterns, pacing, jet lag, or how a day will actually feel.
Outdated Information Sneaks In
Restaurants that closed years ago. Hotels under renovation. Attractions temporarily unavailable. AI doesn’t verify in real time.
Everything Feels the Same
Ask for a trip to Paris, and you’ll get the same highlights everyone else does, with no sense of who you are, how you travel, or what makes a place meaningful to you.
Costs Are Often Wildly Underestimated
Luxury travel pricing is nuanced. Room categories matter. Seasons matter. Availability matters. AI does not know what is actually bookable for your dates.
Where AI and Trip Planning Actually Work Well
Now, to be clear, I am not anti-AI. In fact, I use it for a lot of things every day.
I encourage clients to use it in the dreaming phase. It can spark ideas. It can help you articulate what sounds interesting. It can narrow the field.
But this is where the human side of travel planning becomes essential.
Turning AI Inspiration Into a Real Travel Plan
Where I come in is turning inspiration into something that actually works.
When I create your custom itinerary, I am thinking about:
- Flow and pacing
- Realistic transfer times
- Seasonality and local information
- Properties that feel aligned with you
- The special experiences that aren’t on the generic lists
AI can generate an itinerary in seconds.
What it can’t do is understand how you want the experience to feel.
The Bottom Line on AI and Trip Planning
The bottom line? AI is a helpful tool.
Human planning is what makes the trip feel seamless.
If you’re curious about the research mentioned earlier, you can read the full AFAR article here.
And if you’re in the early stages of dreaming about a future trip, I’m always happy to turn those ideas into something thoughtful, realistic, and seamless. Book a consultation today and let’s start planning your next adventure.
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